Feeding mechanism for nipple threading machines



y 1954 G. B. MARSDEN 2,683,272

' FEEDING MECHANISM FOR NIPPLE THREADING MACHINES Filed July 8, 1950 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN V EN TOR.

A TTOlP/VEX July 13, 1954 G. B. MARSDEN 7 FEEDING MECHANISM FOR NIPPLE THREADING MACHINES Filed July 8, 1950 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 N *3 Q N N I I IF I 1 N \j i II O 1W 0 I Il I 1 IN V EN TOR.

ATTORNEY July 13, 1954 (5.5. MARSDEN 2,633,272

FEEDING MECHANISM FOR NIPPLE THREADING MACHINES Filed July 8, 1950 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 IN V EN TOR.

ATTORNEY July 13, 1954 MARSDEN 2,683,272

FEEDING MECHANISM FOR NIPPLE THREADiNG MACHINES Filed July 8, 1950 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 HOV.

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Patented July 13, 1954 FEEDING MECHANISM FOR NIPPLE THREADING MACHINES George B. Marsden, Chicago, Ill., assignor to Chicago Nipple Manufacturing Company, Chicago, 111., a corporation of Delaware Application July 8, 1950, Serial No. 172,660

13 Claims. 1

This invention relates to feeding mechanism for nipple threading machines and the like, and more particularly to mechanism for automatically feeding workpieces to workholding chucks.

Heretofore in commercial practice, nipples and like workpieces have been fed into the chucks by hand and positioned therein by hand-operated stops or the like. For reversing nipples in a doublehead machine the reversing has also been performed manually. This is an extremely slow and very tiring operation, and unless the nipples are properly positioned results in faulty threading.

In my co-pending application Ser. No. 95,636, filed May 27, 1949, now U. S. Patent No. 2,637,051, issued May 5, 1953, I have proposed a feeding mechanism for transferring the nipple blanks from one chuck to another, and for automatically controlling feeding of the chucks and nipple blanks toward the chasers. The present invention relates to a similar type of machine which is more completely automatic than the machine of my prior application.

t is one of the objects of the present invention to provide a feeding mechanism in which the chucks are positively guided in their movement toward and away from the chasers or tools, for proper alignment with the tools in their working position and for proper and accurate alignment with each other in their feeding position.

Another object is to provide a feeding mechanism in which nipple blanks or like workpieces are automatically fed into and are properly positioned'in the chucks when the chucks are in their feeding position. According to one-feature of the invention, a blank is fed through one of the chucks to a proper working position therein and forces from said chuck a blank which has already been threaded at one end and which latter blank is then fed into the second chuck and is properly positioned therein;

Another object is to provide a feeding mechae nism in which a second blank being forced from one of the chucks by a new blank, is advanced by an auxiliary feed mechanism to a position where it can easily be engaged by a feeding finger to move it into the second chuck.

nismin which the several operations,- are auto- 3 matically correlated a desired working cycle.

The above and other objects and advantages of the invention will be more readily apparent from the following description when read in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a plan View of a nipple threading machine equipped with feeding means embodying the invention;

Figure 2 is an end elevation of the machine;

Figure 3 is a, diagram illustrating the movements of the workpieces at different stages of the operation;

Figure 4 is a diagrammatic elevation of the nipple moving mechanism;

Figure 5 is aview similar to Figure 4, showing the parts in a different position, and

Figure 6 is a control diagram. 7

The machine as shown, comprises a base or supporting frame [0 on which all of the parts are mounted. Adjacent one end of the base are a pair of rotating tools I l which are illustrated and described herein as conventional threading chasers for threading nipples and the like. It will be understood that these chasers are of the usual type, having threading cutters to engage the workpieces and which are released and opened when the workpieces have advanced a predetermined distance therein so that the workpieces can be removed axially. Such opening of the cutters may also be utilized to operate switches. The frame carriage at its sides a pair of ways IE on which a carriage indicated generally at I3, is longitudinally slidable. The. carriage may be moved by motor means such as an air cylinder M, as more fully described in my co-pending application referred to above.

A pair of chucks l5 are mounted on the carriage for rotation about vertical axes and are hollow so that workpieces can pass completely therethrough. One of the chucks is provided with an elongated feed tube it having a slot I! in one side thereof through which workpieces may be fed into and positioned in the chuck. The opposite chuck has a relatively short discharge tube 18 through which completed workpieces may be discharged from the machine.

. a straight end portion 23'lying in the plane of the corresponding chaser axis and a remote end portion 24 displaced from the plane of the corresponding chaser axis. The end portions 23 and 24 are connected by an intermediate curved portion 25. With the tracks constructed in this manner, the rollers 2| will engage the remote end of the tracks when the carriage is in its feeding position and will accurately align the chucks as shown. As the carriage moves towards the chasers, the chucks will be turned about their vertical axes in opposite directions and will be accurately aligned with the respective chasers by the straight end portions 23 of the cam tracks. Thus with this relatively simple mechanism the chucks are accurately and fully controlled in all of their movements.

Workpieces in the chucks are gripped thereby as the chucks advance toward the chasers, in a manner similar to that disclosed in my co-pending application referred to above. As shown, the carriage is provided with a pair of curved cam tracks 26 which receive pins or rollers on the ends of arms 2! carried by the respective chucks. The cam tracks 26 are eccentric with respect to the axes of the chucks so that the arms 21 will be pulled away from the chucks as the chucks turn from their feeding to their working positions.

Each arm 21 is connected to one end of a rocking lever 28. whose opposite end is connected to wedging cams in the chucks so that when the wedging, cams are pushed inward the chucks will grip the workpieces. Thus as the chucks move toward the chasers the workpieces will be tightly gripped thereby and when the chucks return to their feeding position illustrated, the workpieces will be released and the chuck jaws will be opened to receive additional workpieces.

Blanks are supplied to the feed tube 16 from any suitable magazine as illustrated generally at 29 in Figure 1. The magazine may comprise a downwardly sloping table on which workpiece blanks as indicated at 3!, may be mounted with a stop shoulder 32 to hold the lowermost blank in alignment with the feed tube It when the chucks are in their feeding position. When a blank is forced into the feed tube i6 and into the corresponding chuck l it will force therefrom a blank already in the chuck which will be received by a trough member 33 on the carriage between the chucks. This trough member holds the blank in alignment with the second chuck I5 until the; blank is forced into the second chuck to the desired position. This will force a completed'. workpiece in the second chuck out the discharge tube !8 and with workpieces in both chucks the machine is ready for a threading operation.

To feed the workpieces, a pair of feed fingers are provided which are reciprocable in a path parallel to the aligned chucks.

As shown, a cross framework 34 is mounted on the base it just to the rear of the feeding positionv of the carriage. The framework is preferably constructed with parallel guides at two levels as best seen in Figures 4 and 5, to support a pair of sliding heads 35' and 35. The head 35 as best seen in Figure l, carries a pivoted feeding finger 31, which is mounted on a plate 38 adjustably connected to the head 35 to be secured thereto in various positions of adjustment parallel to the movement of the head 35. This is to accommodate nipples of different lengths so that in each feeding operation the nipple blank will be properly positioned in the chuck. The finger 31 isheld against outward swinging movement by a pin 39 but is free to pivot inwardly to pass over a blank during its return movement. As shown, the finger 3'! is aligned with the feed tube It and is adapted to extend through the slot I! therein during a feeding operation. The head 36 has an arm 4| projecting laterally therefrom over the center of the trough 33 and a downwardly projecting arm 42 terminating justv above the trough 33..

At the lower end of the arm 42 there is a pivoted finger 43 which can swing freely clockwise as seen in Figures 4 and 5, but is held against counter-clockwise movement. This finger engages a workpiece in the trough 33 to move it into the second chuck as explained more fully hereinafter.

The shiftable heads 35 and 36 are adapted to be moved simultaneously in opposite directions by a reversible fluid motor 4.4. The motor 44 moves a rack 45 which meshes with a pinion 46 which, in turn, meshes with a gear 41. The gear 4! has a crank 48 rigidly connected thereto and the crank isconnected through a link 49 to the head 36 to reciprocate it. The head 36 carries a rack 51 meshing with a smaller idler pinion 52 which meshes with a pinion 53. The pinion 53 is integral with an enlarged pinion 54 which meshes with a rack 55 connected to the head 35. With this construction as the crank turns the heads 35 and 35 will be shifted together and apart and may be moved varying amounts if desired, through the gearing as described.

Since the intermediateworkpiece is shifted out of the first chuck by a subsequent workpiece, theends of the two workpieces will lie together and must be-separated to allow the finger 43 to engage the intermediate workpiece. For this purpose an auxiliary feed mechanism is provided which, as shown in Figure 6, comprises a shiftable block 55 lying adjacent to the trough 33 and carrying a pair of pivoted pawl grippers 51'. The block is normally urged toward the first chuck by means of a spring 53 and is adapted to be shifted toward the second chuck by a solenoid 59. The travel of the block 56 is relatively small but is sufficient to separate the endsv of adjacent workpieces sumciently so that the pawl 43 can drop between them.

The cycle of feed operations is illustrated diagrammatically in Figure 3, with the workpiece blanks being shown at 5!. The workpieces G5 at the right of Figure 3 are illustrated in the magazine position. As shown at the top of the figure, when a threading operation has just been completed and the chucks have returned to the feeding position, the blank in the magazine is in alignment with the workpieces just to the left thereof which are in the chucks.

It will be noted that the intermediate workpieces indicated at El in the upper part of the figure, have one end threaded, while the workpieces fil at the left of the figure which correspond toa workpiece in the second chuck, have both ends threaded. In this position of the parts the motor 44 is energized to move from the position shown in Figure 4 to that shown in Figure 5. This condition is illustrated in the second line in Figure 3, it being noted that the new blank 6| has forced the blank 6!" from the first chuck, and that the blank 5| has partially forced the completed blank 61" from the second chuck. At this time the auxiliary feed mechanism is operated to shift the block 56 to the left as shown in the third'line in Figure 3, to separate the ends of the new blank BI and the 7 blank 6! so that the pawl 43 can drop behind the end of the blank 6| The motor 44 is then reversed, shifting the fingers 31 and 43 to their initial position and at this time the finger 43 moves the blank 6| into the second chuck and ejects the completed blank 6|" from the second chuck. The parts are now in condition for a subsequent threading operation, at the completion of which the conditions will be as indicated in the upper line of Figure 3.

Operation of the mechanism is controlled as indicated in Figure 6, the control preferably being electrical. As shown, the transformer 62 is connected to a suitable conventional supply source 83 and serves to supply current for operation of the valves as described. As shown in this diagram, the motor [4 for shifting the carriage is provided with a normally closed valve 64 which can be opened by a solenoid 65 to move the carriage toward the heads. When the solenoid is de-energized, the valve 64 will close and the carriage will be moved away from the heads by springs or by reversal of the motor I4. The motor 44 is controlled by a poppet valve as shown, shifted by a pair of solenoids 66 and 31. When the poppet valve is raised by energizing the solenoid 66, fluid will flow to the outer end of the motor 44 through a pipe 68 to shift the motor piston and the rock 45 to the right. When the solenoid 67 is energized, the valve will be moved down to admit fiuid to the right end of the motor and shift the piston and rack 45 to the left. With this type of valve solenoids need only to be energized temporarily since the valve tends to remain in any position to which it has been moved.

The carriage I 3 operates a pair of switches 69 and H. The switch 69 is normally open and is closed by the carriage when it is moved to its feeding position while the switch H is normally closed and is opened by the'carriage when it is moved to its feeding position. The auxiliary feed means also operates a switch 72 which is normally open as shown, and which is engaged by a finger 13 on the block 56 to be closed when the solenoid 59 is energized. A switch," is provided in circuit with the solenoid 55, this switch being normally closed and being opened by the chasers when the cutters therein are retracted at the end of a cutting operation. The switch hi may be operated in a manner similar to the valve 62?) of my parent application.

in. addition, there are a series of switches '35, it, ill and 18, all of which are normally opened and are closed by cam projections on discs or drums i9, 8!, 82 and 33. The discs or drums t2 and 83 are connected together and are driven by a pinion 8d meshing with the crank gear 4?. The disc 82 carries a driving pin 85 to engage one or the other of a pair of pins 86 and 8? on the disc 8!. The discs 19 and! are rigidly connected and are adapted to be held in either of their adjusted positions by a spring detent 88. The circuit is shown in the position the parts will occupy when the carriage is retracted and before the feeding mechanism has operated corresponding to the position in the top line of Figure 3. At this time, the solenoid 61 is energized to shift the valve for the motor id downward so that the motor piston and rack 55 will shift to the left. The circuit for the solenoid can be traced from the transformer 62 through the solenoid 6'! through the closed switch 69 and closed switch ltba'ck to thetransformen 6 During the initial movement of the rack 45 to the left, the disc 83 will be turned to open the switch 78 so that the solenoid 6'! will be deenergized. The motor 44 will, however, continue to shift the rack 45 to the left to turn the discs 82 and 83 counter-clockwise and to feed the blanks into the chucks as described above. Toward the end of the travel of the rack 45 to the left and when the crank 48 has reached substantially a horizontal position to the right of its aXis the pin 85 will engage the pin 86 and turn the discs 19 and BI counter-clockwise so that the cam projections on discs 19 and 8i will close the switches and 16. When the switch 16 is closed it completes a circuit through the solenoid 59 from one side of the power source 63 through the solenoid through the switch 16 and directly back to the other side of the power source. This will actuate the auxiliary feed mechanism corresponding to the operation in the third line of Figure 3, and will close the switch 12. When the switch 12 is closed a circuit is completed through the solenoid 55 from the transformer 62 through the solenoid through the switch 12 and directly back to the transformer. This causes the motor 44 to reverse to perform the feed operations as shown in the last line of Figure 3.

During the first part of this reverse travel of motor it, the switches '65 and '56 will remain closed due to the fact that the pin is moving away from pin 86 and has not yet engaged pin Bl because of the spacing between the pins 86 and 87. When the disc 82 has moved back sufficiently to close the switch 5'! a circuit will be completed through the solenoid 65 from one side of the source 63 through the switch 74, solenoid 55, switch 15, switch i1 and back to the other side of the source. This will open the valve 64 and start advancing the carriage toward the chasers. As soon as the carriage starts advancing the switch 69 will open to prevent the solenoid 67 from being energized while the carriage is out of its feeding position. At the same time the switch it will close to complete a holding circuit for the solenoid 59 in parallel with the switch 765 so that the auxiliary feed mechanism will be held in its moved position Where it cannot interfere with the turning of the chucks during advancement thereof.

1 At the completion of a threading operation when the chaser cutters release, the switch M will he opened to de-energize the solenoid 65 so that the carriage will be returned to its feeding position. When this occurs, the circuit will -be in the same starting condition as illustrated in Figure 6, ready for a subsequent operation. It will thus be seen that with the present invention the mechanism can continue to operate automatically to feed blanks to the chucks, advance the blanks for threading, and release and reject the completed workpieces as long as blanks. are available in the magazine.

While one embodiment of the invention has been illnstratedand described in detail, it will "be understood that this is for purposes of example only and is not to be taken as a definition of the scope of the invention, reference being had for this purpose to the appended claims. What is claimed is: 1. Feeding mechanism for nipple threading machines and the like including a rotating tool, comprising a carriage movable axially toward and away from the tool, a chuck pivoted on the carriage on an axis transverse to the tool axis, a crank arm rigidly attached to the chuck, and

7, a fixed cam track engaging the free end of the crank arm and having an end adjacent the tool in the plane of the tool axis and an end remote from the tool displaced laterally from said plane to turn the chuck through. 99 as the carriage moves toward and away from the tool.

2. Feeding mechanism for nipple threading machines and the like including a rotating tool, comprising a carriage movable axially toward. and away from the tool, a chuck pivoted on the carriage on an axis transverse to the tool axis, a crank arm rigidly attached to the chuck, the crank arm lying parallel to the chuck means to move the carriage between a working position adjacent to the tool and a feeding position remote from the tool, and a fixed cam track engaging the free end of the crank arm and having a straight end portion adjacent to the tool lying in the plane of the tool axis, a straight end portion remote from the tool displaced laterally from the tool and a curved intermediate portion connecting the end portions to turn the chuck from alignment with the tool the working position to a right angle to the tool axis in the feeding position.

3. Feeding mechanism for nipple threading machines and the like including a pair of par allel rotating tools, comprising a carriage movable axially toward and away from the tools, a pair of chucks pivoted on the carriage on parallel axes transverse to the tool axes, at least one of the chucks having an opening therethrough to pass a workpiece, means to turn the chucks from positions parallel to each other when adjacent the tools to a position aligned with each other when remote from the tools, a feeding finger movable toward said one of the chucks from the outside thereof to force a workpiece into the chuck, a second feeding finger to engage a workpiece forced out of said one of the chucks and to force it into the other chuck, and means simultaneously to move the feeding fingers in opposite directions through predetermined distances.

i. Feeding mechanism for nipple threading machines and the like including a pair of parallel rotating tools, comprising a carriage movable axially toward and away from the tools, a pair of chucks pivoted on the carriage on parallel axes transverse to the tool axes, at least one of the chucks having an opening therethrough to pass workpiece, means to turn the chucks 1 ill positions pl 11 to! each other when a cent the tools to a position aligned with ea h other when remote from the tools, a feeding fir ger movable toward said one of the chucks from the outside thereof to force a workpiece into the chuck, a second feeding finger to engage a workpiece forced out of said one of the chucksand force it into the other chuck, a crank connected to the feeding fingers to move them simultaneously in opposite directions, and means to turn the crank.

5, Feeding mechanism for nipple threading machines and the like including a pair of parallel rotating tools, comprising a carriage movable axially toward and away from the tools, a pair of chucks pivoted on the carriage on parallel axes transverse to the tool axes, at l ast one of the chucks having an op ng therethrough to pass a workpiece, means to turn the chucks from positions parallel to each other when adjacent the tools to a position aligned with each other when remote from the tools, a feeding finger movable toward said one of the chucks from the outside thereof to force a workpiece into the chuck, a second feeding finger to engage a workpiece forced out of said one of the chucks and to force it into the other chuck, a reciprocable motor movable through a predetermined stroke, and means connecting the motor to the fingers simultaneously to move the fingers in opposite directions.

6. Feeding mechanism for nipple threading machines and the like including a pair of parallel rotating tools, comprising a carriage movable axially toward and away from the tools, a pair of chucks pivoted on the carriage on parallel axes transverse to the tool axes, at least one of the chucks having an opening therethrough to pass a workpiece, means to turn the chucks from positions parallel to each other when adjacent the tools to a position aligned with each other when remote from the tools, a feeding finger movable toward said one of the chuck from the outside thereof to force a workpiece into the chuck, a second feeding finger to engage a workpiece forced out of said one of the chucks and to force it into the other chuck, a crank connected to the feeding fingers to move them simultaneously in opposite directions, a reciprocable motor connected to the crank to turn it, and control means to cause the motor to reciprocate when the carriage is remote from the tools.

7. Feeding mechanism for nipple threading machines and the like including a pair of parallel rotating tools, comprising a carriage movable axially toward and away from the tools, a pair of chucks pivoted on the carriage on parallel axes transverse to the tool axes, at least one of the chucks having an opening therethrough to pass a workpiece, means to turn the chucks from positions parallel to each other when adjacent the tools to a position aligned with each other when remote from the tools, a feeding finger movable toward said one of the chucks from the outside thereof to force a workpiece into the chuck, a second feeding finger to engage a workpiece forced out of said one of the chucks and to force it into the other chuck, auxiliary feed means to advance the last named workpiece to a position where it can be engaged by the second finger, means simultaneously to move the fingers in opposite directions, control means operable when the finger are moved toward each other to operate the auxiliary feed means, and means operated by the auxiliary feed means to cause the finger moving means to separate the fingers.

8. Feeding mechanism for nipple threading machines and the like including a pair of parallel rotating tools, comprising a carriage movable axially toward and away from the tools, a pair of chucks pivoted on the carriage on parallel axes transverse to the tool axes, least one of the chucks having an opening therethrough to pass a workpiece, means to turn the chucks from positions parallel to each other when adjacent the tools to a position aligned with each other when remote from the tools, a feeding finger movable toward said one of the chucks from the outside thereof to force a workpiece into the chuck, a second feeding finger to engage a workpiece forced out of said one of the chucks and to force it into the other chuck, auxiliary feed means to advance the last named workpiece to a position where it can be engaged by the second finger, a reversible motor connected to the fingers simultaneously to move them in opposite direc tions, control means to energize the motor to move the fingers toward each other, means controlled by the carriage to prevent operation of the control means except when the carriage is remote from the tools, means operable when the fingers are moved together to operate the auxiliary feed means, and control means operated by the auxiliary feed means to energize the motor to separate the fingers.

9. Feeding mechanism for nipple threading machines and the like including a pair of parallel rotating tools, comprising a carriage movable axially toward and away from the tools, a pair of chucks pivoted on the carriage on parallel axes transverse to the tool axes, at least one of the chucks having an opening therethrough to pass a workpiece, means to turn the chucks from positions parallel to each other when adjacent the tools to a position aligned with each other when remote from the tools, a feeding finger movable toward said one of the chucks from the outside thereof to force a workpiece into the chuck, a second feeding finger to engage a workpiece forced out of said one of the chucks and to force it into the other chuck, auxiliary feed means to advance the last named workpiece to a position where it can be engaged by the second finger, a first reversible motor connected to the fingers simultaneously to move them in opposite directions, a second reversible motor to move the carriage toward and away from the tools, electrically operated control means for the motors, switches operated by the carriage and the auxiliary feed means, switches operated by the first motor, and circuits connecting the switches and control means to move the fingers together when the carriage is remote from the tools, operate the auxiliary feed means, separate the fingers, move the carriage toward the tools, and return the carriage to a position remote from the tools.

10. In a feeding mechanism for nipple threading machines and the like having aligned chucks to receive workpieces, a pair of feed fingers movable linearly toward and away from each other in alignment with the chucks, one of the fingers lying outside of one of the chucks and the other finger lying between the chucks, auxiliary feed means to advance a workpiece between the chucks to a position to be engaged by the other finger, means to operate the auxiliary feed means, and motor means to move the fingers simultaneously in opposite directions.

11. In a feeding mechanism for nipple threading machines and the like having aligned chucks to receive workpieces, a pair of feed fingers mov- Eli , 1i) finger lying between the chucks, auxiliary feed means to advance a workpiece between the chucks to a position to be engaged by the other finger, motor means to move the fingers simultaneously in opposite directions, means controlled by the motor means to operate the auxiliary feed means when the fingers are moved toward each other, and control means for the motor operated by the auxiliary feed means to separate the fingers.

12." In a feeding mechanism for nipple thread ing machines and the like having aligned chucks to receive workpieces, a pair of feed fingers movable linearly toward and away from each other in alignment with the chucks, one of the fingers lying outside of one of the chucks and the other finger lying between the chucks, auxiliary feed means to advance a workpiece between the chucks to a position to be engaged by the other finger, areversible motor to move the fingers simultaneously in opposite directions, a motor to operate the auxiliary feed means, control means for the last named motor operated by the reversible motor when it moves the fingers together, and control means to reverse the reversible motor operated by the last named motor.

:13, In a feeding mechanism for nipple threading machines and the like, a pair of aligned chucks having openings therethrough to pass workpieces, a feed tube connected to one of the chucks in alignment therewith and having an axial slot therein, a pair of feed fingers movable linearly toward and away from each other in alignment with the chucks, one of the fingers extending through the axial slot in the tube to force a workpiece through the tube and into thejchuck, the other finger lying between the chucks, to engage a workpiece between the chucks and move it into the other of the chucks, mechanism to move the fingers simultaneously in opposite directions, and means to move the chucks out of alignment for machining operation on the workpieces therein.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date r 1,457,603 Rankin June 5, 1923 1,637,176 Davis July 26, 1927 2,348,644 Preziosi May 9, 1944 2,360,906 Smith Oct. 24, 19% 2,490,841 Smith Dec. 13, 1949 2,524,582 Yerkes Oct. 3, 1950 2,620,060 Bird Dec. 2, 1952 

